Another obvious reason why they like to ride - they are not forced to wear pots over their head!

http://bicycledutch.wordpress.com/2013/03/28/amsterdam-bicycle-rush-hour

Flat land is obviously better for cycling. Electrically assisted bikes might help, but you still have to pedal, and the prices are ridiculously high. If Australia is serious about cycling as a means of transport, then some serious money has to be spent to keep bikes away from cars and trucks. The ratbag Labor government in South Australia has now ordained that a motorist must give cyclists from 1m - 1.5m distance as they pass. This is OK in some areas where the motorist can just move over to the centre line, but in many cases it involves crossing over into the oncoming lane. The ratbags have even legalised crossing a double line if safe to do so! In the Adelaide hills, infested with cyclists on weekends, a motorist could travel for hours behind a cyclist because it's rarely safe to move into the oncoming lane. Cyclists can now also ride on footpaths, below a certain speed (how that would be policed is anyone's guess) and must give way to pedestrians. Yeah. Right. Like everything government's do, the whole thing is a stuff-up: dangerous for cyclists and motorists (and now pedestrians) alike. Bikes and motorised traffic DO NO MIX.

No, but because it's all downhill.
Rhrosty

The growth area for 2 wheel will be some form of battery Scooter with the wheels in-line or side-to-side. Something to do the 1 km to/from transport and folds easy to go under a desk or behind a seat.

The problem with bikes is ALWAYS getting sweaty and heels etc. Frankly current bikes are sexist as they are not really female friendly.